What Are You Going to Do With Your Seat at the Table? Reflections from the 2025 Global Ethics Summit
Eight million questions and no issues.
Two weeks ago, I had the honor of joining my colleague Kevin McCormack on stage to open the 16th annual Global Ethics Summit—Ethisphere’s flagship ethics and compliance event. As we watched the opening video, one line hit me right in the solar plexus:
“Our community needs community right now.”
That single sentence captures the essence of why this compliance conference has remained so vital to the profession. It also reflects the founding spirit of our Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA)—created eighteen years ago with a clear purpose: to give ethics and compliance professionals a space to connect, share, and grow.
It’s never been an easy time to work in compliance, but today’s climate—marked by tightening budgets, shifting regulations, and emerging technologies—can make it feel especially lonely. Back in 2008, the compliance function was often seen as a cost center. But now, many leaders in our community have earned their seat at the table by proving the value of effective compliance programs. As Larry D. Thompson reminded me during our fireside chat at this year’s summit, the question now becomes:
“What are you going to do with it?”
4 Takeaways for Compliance Leaders from the 2025 Global Ethics Summit
Throughout the Summit, we heard powerful insights from speakers, panelists, and peers who are shaping the future of our field. Here are four themes that stood out to me.
1. We Need Community—Every Day
Our ethics and compliance community thrives when we learn from one another. One of my goals for every Global Ethics Summit is that every attendee leaves with five new friends and four new ideas. That goes for me, too. No matter how long you’ve been in this profession, there’s always something new to learn from someone else’s experience. This is what makes events like the Global Ethics Summit so powerful—and necessary.
2. Be Humble, and Learn from Mistakes
During a live Ethicast Reacts session with Bill Coffin, we unpacked under-the-radar compliance failures from across industries. These stories aren’t just cautionary tales—they’re learning opportunities. Ask yourself not if something could go wrong at your organization, but how it could happen. Then build your mitigation plan.
3. Culture Is the Foundation
We hosted multiple panels focused on building a speak-up culture—one where employees feel safe challenging leadership, raising concerns, and asking questions. The dream scenario for any compliance officer? Eight million questions and no issues. Make it easy for people to speak up, and invest in systems that help you track what’s being asked—and what’s not.
4. Dial in on Risk—You Know How to Do This
Yes, risks are evolving. But AI governance is still governance. Sanctions compliance is still process. And changes in enforcement are just that—changes. At its core, this work is still about helping people make the right decisions when representing your organization. You know how to do that. You’ve been doing it.
Community, Ideas, and Action—What’s Next?
I’ll be revisiting many of the sessions from this year’s summit in the months ahead, and I fully expect to surpass my “four new ideas” goal. For those of you who joined us—whether in person or virtually—thank you for bringing your energy, expertise, and open minds to this compliance leadership conference.
And if you’re still looking for your own “ah-ha” moment, I invite you to catch the replays from the Global Ethics Summit. Maybe they’ll inspire your next idea, your next new connection, or your next bold move as a compliance leader.
After all, we all have a seat at the table now.
What are you going to do with it?
